Most of us have heard of the three Ps of sustainability: people, planet, and profits. These three pillars are typically applied to businesses and organizations and how they operate on a daily basis.
Well, citric-acid-based cleaning solutions have their own three Ps. And now that these cleaning solutions are growing in use in the professional cleaning industry, it’s crucial that the industry, especially those who use these cleaning solutions every day, understand what these three Ps are all about.
So, let’s go through the three Ps one by one:
People.
When discussing the people component of sustainability, we typically refer to how an organization treats its workers, contractors, and vendors—for instance, paying fair wages, providing benefits, and creating a workplace where they feel valued.
When it comes to citric-acid-based cleaning solutions, we are much more specific. The People pillar with citric-acid-based cleaning solutions refers to safety. Not only are citric-acid-based cleaning solutions safe to use on a variety of surfaces, but they also have no adverse health effects for the cleaning professional or building users, cause no respiratory reactions, and can be used without wearing protective gear.
Planet.
This pillar, as it applies to businesses and organizations, focuses on the well-being of the planet. It includes protecting water and air quality, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and waste, and protecting and improving the quality of life for all living things on the planet.
Regarding the Planet pillar when applied to citric-acid-based cleaning solutions and sustainability, we are referring to the fact that these products come from naturally grown food sources – lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruit. These citric fruits are grown worldwide and are in abundant supply. Further, citric-acid-based cleaning solutions are completely biodegradable. This means their key ingredients naturally break down and become part of nature, making them a very renewable resource.
Profits.
Profits are essential when it comes to the three Ps of sustainability. Without the Profit pillar, businesses and organizations would not exist. In regard to sustainability, this pillar refers to making profits fairly, legally, and equitably. It also relates to job creation and accountability.
When applied to citric-acid-based cleaning solutions, we use a different term: productivity. Using citric-acid-based cleaning solutions, cleaning professionals find they can perform more tasks in less time using just one or two citric-acid-based cleaning solutions. This helps streamline cleaning. It also means less custodial training is necessary because workers are working with just one or two cleaning solutions instead of many. And one more very important thing: using fewer products helps reduce accidents, a big concern in the professional cleaning industry.
When cleaning workers can multitask using the same cleaning solutions and clean in a shorter amount of time, this in turn helps boost profits. So, the terms profit and productivity are very closely associated when it comes to citric-acid-based cleaning solutions.
The Recap
To achieve the three Ps of sustainability, a business or organization must ensure its actions align with all three pillars. This means that the organization prioritizes the needs of its employees (people) and the needs of the environment (planet) while allowing the business to operate successfully (profit).
For the professional cleaning industry, using citric-acid-based cleaning solutions means working with products that are safe and protective of human health (people). Products that are made from readily renewable sources that naturally break down, leaving little or no waste (planet). And products that help ensure cleaning contractors can operate and grow their businesses successfully.
Some say citric-acid-based cleaning solutions are the right products at the right time for the professional cleaning industry. They are proven effective, are safe for people and the environment, and promote sustainability in all its forms. ProNatural Brands encourages cleaning contractors to try these products and see for themselves. We know you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
